Sony CD Copy Protection Seems To Rely On Hacker Rootkit

InformationWeek ^ | Nov. 2, 2005 | Gregg Keizer

[holymoly]

FYI

[thulldud]

Won't make a ripple. How many boxen do you suppose that don't already have rootkits from malicious websites?

I had to shift gears while reading this article, because to me "rootkit" automatically implies a unix environment. But most rootkits today are targeted at Windoze. The idea is the same.

[ShadowAce]

Already posted

[AbeKrieger]

Does it really matter? If the CD can be played digitally it can be recorded perfectly using digital media. Unless they render the discs unplayable (ha ha) there will never be a way to keep people from making digital copies of the music.

Not to mention hackers and bootleggers have infinite resource and ingenuity.

[holymoly]

I missed that. Still, that post doesn't have quite as much info.

[vikingd00d]

>> F-Secure has tested the resulting removal process -- which relies on the installation of an Internet Explorer ActiveX control

So you have to install something to un-install something else? Nice! So what's in the Active-X control? More malware?

[ShadowAce]

That wasn't the point of this. The point is that Sony is installing software onyour computer that sits between your hardware (CD drive) and the OS, thus hijacking the way your computer works.

Once you remove this software, you will break your computer.

[proxy_user]

So far, I have not found any rootkits on recent vinyl records.

I'll keep an eye out.....

[lunarville]

http://cp.sonybmg.com/xcp/english/updates.html

This is the link on Sony's website that removes the cloaking technology component.

[Xenophobic Alien]

Sounds like a lawauite in the making.

This kind of stuff really doesn't matter, every time they bring out new copyright protection it is cracked within hours.

You have one or two companies working on this kind of stuff and half a million on the internet working to break it. You do the math.

[AxelPaulsenJr]

BTTP

[ChadGore]

Re:Does it really matter?

Once the root kit is there, any file name that begins with $sys$ will not be visible to the windows API.

So, you play a Sony CD, then rename notebook.exe to $sys$notebook.exe that file will disappear.

The end result of this, if sony continues to illegally install root kits with every CD autoplayed in a PC, will be hundreds of thousands of rootedPCs connected to the Internet, ready for exploitation.

Got a fire wall ?
Got anti-virus ?

None of it will matter because every time someone takes a Sony CD and puts it into the CD drive, it's set up to autoplay, which installs a new root kit with every play of the CD.

That's why it matters. Sony should be brought to court for their actions right now.

[killjoy]

None of it will matter because every time someone takes a Sony CD and puts it into the CD drive, it's set up to autoplay, which installs a new root kit with every play of the CD.

Ummm... why haven't you disabled autoplay yet?

[mysterio]

That's fine. Even if they could design a perfectly copy-proof cd, it wouldn't matter. More people are learning about new music through the internet than through their junk corporate radio now anyway. They are just shooting themselves in the foot.

If record companies want to thrive, they should encourage people to share music. It's free advertising. And they should drop the price of a cd to $10. If they don't do that, eventually they will actually start to lose money.

[TommyDale]

Go here and download Blacklight Rootkit Eliminator:

http://www.f-secure.com/blacklight/try.shtml

[ChadGore]

Re: why haven't you disabled autoplay yet?

I have. Sony should be sued for this right now.

[Publius6961]

The one useful bit of information is not included in the article.
When did Sony start including this new "feature" in their music CDs?

I'll just make sure never to buy any.

[oremites]

This is my favorite part of the FAQ from that Sony website you linked to:

How do I uninstall the software?

If at some point you wish to remove the software from your machine simply contact customer service through this link.

[Publius6961]

Go here and download Blacklight Rootkit Eliminator:

But only if you want to be a Beta tester for Blacklight...

[ChadGore]

Re:When did Sony start including this new "feature" in their music CDs?

http://www.f-secure.com/v-descs/xcp_drm.shtml